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The Best Brother in the World

Yes, while the title might sound rather corny and daft, I find it quite appropriate for this piece. To be perfectly honest, I want the world to know of the close bond I have with my beautiful brother, Blake. He’s not only one of my best friends, but the type of guy you can wholeheartedly trust.

Growing up, however, we were at each other’s throats, quite literally.
Kick, Scratch, Swear, Fight, Trash, Throw, Scream, Spit, Slam.We were a parent’s worst nightmare.While part of this was due to my brother’s severe behavioural problems, I was also to blame for my very short fuse. These two factors crackled and popped like a thousand firecrackers.

It wasn’t until we reached our mid-late teenage years that we started getting along. Believe me, this wasn’t achieved overnight. But, we did drift from being out-of-control kids to sensible young adults. The trick to this stems down to the qualities of compassion and understanding. Instead of focusing on the pessimistic side of life, we opened our eyes to a world of acceptance and opportunity, while simultaneously, getting a grasp of each other’s ever-evolving identity and inner self. We realised that we could no longer be treated like kids, which led to our embracement of maturity, and the inevitable that is adulthood. That was when we started growing up and relying on each other’s intuition and guidance.

Now, we’re inseparable. While we do have friends of our own, we couldn’t live without each other. The past couple of years has seen him develop into a mature and beautiful young man. No longer does he raise his voice. Oh, and he wouldn’t dare lay a finger on anybody — unless he’s petting his much-loved animals. This really does prove the point that people do change.

A few days ago, he turned 20-years-old. And, in true Blake style, he made sure the attention wasn’t just focused on him, but on the family, as a whole. There was no late-night boozing or boxes and boxes of presents — we simply had a pub lunch followed by an afternoon well-spent watching the SAG Awards, which he doesn’t even enjoy! But, believe me, he didn’t whinge once! So, he either has a secret passion for award ceremonies, or is completely selfless. I predict the latter.

Blake, if you’re reading this, you truly are the best brother in the world. You are the kindest person I have ever met, and I wish you a successful future, which you are very much deserving of.

And in true Golden Girls style: Thank you for being a friend, traveled down the road and back again. Your heart is true, you’re a pal and a confidant. I’m not ashamed to say.